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(No Model.)

A. PIGKETT. DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE INOR USTATION OF BOILER TUBES. 7 No; 892,548. PatentedwNov. 6,1888.

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ALBERT FIOKETT, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THADDEUS V. HULETT, OF SAME PLACE.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE INCRUSTATION OF BOILER-TUBES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,548, dated November 6, 1888.

Application filed January 3, 1887. Renewed January 28, 1888. Serial No. 262,264. No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT FIoKnTr, of

Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Preventing the Incrustation of Boiler-Tubes, which improve ment is fully set forth in the following speciflcation and shown in the accompanying drawings.

In using steam-boilers the mud and other solid substances held in suspension in the water used becomes deposited upon the exterior surfaces of the lines, and, being heated, gradually solidifies into a crust or scale, which, when thick enough, holds the water away from the tubes or flues to an extent that renders them liable to be injured from the heat passing through them.

The object of my invention is to produce a device which, placed upon the tubes, shall be moved thereon by the action of the water in a manner to lightly rub their outer surfaces and serve to remove the deposit of mud as it falls upon them and prevent the formation of scale. This sediment forms slowly upon the tubes, thedeposit being in small quantities at a time, and when first made is soft and easily displaced. A very slight abrasion, if substantially constant, serves to wholly prevent the accumulation of deposit.

The invention consists, substantially, of spiral coils of wire formed in a novel manner, with operating parts attached, the same being hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows two adjacent tubes of a tubular boiler, which may be considered, as shown, either in plan or side elevation, having my improved abradants placed thereon; Fig. 2, a cross-section of the tubes, taken upon the dotted linear in Fig. 1 and viewed asindicated by the arrow pointed thereon, drawn to further show the form and position of the floats; and Fig. 3, drawn to a smaller scale, shows a horizontal boiler with portions broken out to uncover the tubes within, the abrading devices shown in place thereon.

Referring to the parts, A represent-s adjacent boiler tubes of ordinary kind and construction, secured to the tube-sheets in the usual manner; and B, the devices for removing deposits, placed upon said tubes. These abrading devices or deposit-removers are spiral coils of round or square wire made two feet in length, more or less, having an internal diameter slightly larger than the external diameter of the tubes upon which they are to be placed. The wire used may be made of steel, brass, or other material, and preferably about oneeighth or one-tenth ofan inch in diameter, and bent so that the adjacent members d of the coils shall be one-half inch apart, more or less, measured across from center to center. At intervals of four inches, more or less, the wire is closely coiled for two or three turns, as shown at 0, between which closely-coiled parts the coils are open or wider spaced. To the closely-coiled parts 0 of the wire Isecure, bysolder, brazing, or other simple means, outwardly-projecting floats a, the same being preferably placed inclined to the axes of the coils, as shown.

Four floats are shown upon the circumference of each of the closely-coiled parts of the device, though there may be a greater or less number, as may be required. These flloats are preferably placed so that their planes shall coincide with diametrical lines of the coils, and the floats associated with any one of the closely-coiled parts of the device shall incline in the same direction, while those of the adjacent closely-coiled parts shall 'contrarily incline. The degree of inclination maybe greater or less, as may be required, or some of the floats may be made truly longitudinal, as indicated in dotted lines. The closely-coiled parts of the device are made to afford a sufficient breadth of base upon which to secure the floats. The outer and inner edges of the floats may be in straight lines, as shown, or they may be curved to forms concentric with the coils, as indicated in dotted lines. Their length and largely their form are matters not essential.

During the use of steam-boilers currents are constantly produced in the boiling water, they being mainly in directions substantially vertical, and the water is otherwise agitated and moved from the effects of the heat and steam I00 being generated. These moving volumes of water, acting against the floats, tend to constantly turn the coils upon the tubes through short distances one way and the other, and to keep said coils otherwise moving, causing them to creep upon the tubes. On account of the floats being oppositely inclined, as stated, the coils are as readily moved in one direction as the other by the action of the water, which prevents them being crowded toward either end of the tube. For instance, regarding Fig. 1., if an upward-moving volume of water were to impinge against the float a, as indicated by arrow, it would tend both to turn the coil to which it is attached upon the tube and crowd it toward the left. Again, if a volume of water were to act upon the float a, as indicated, it would both tend to turn the coil upon the tube and slide it toward the right, from which two tendencies the coils are prevented from becoming crowded toward either end of the tubes. The water, acting against the oppositely-inclined floats, also tends to cause the sections of the coils between the parts 0 to expand and contract independently of each other and of the whole coil, as the floats are acted upon more vigorously at one part of the coil than at another. The lightness, elasticity, and yielding nature of the wire from which the coils are made prevent this approaching and receding of the parts a and of the extreme ends of the coils, which actions of the latter are important, as they cause the combined members (I of the coils to touch every part of the exterior surfaces of the tubes.

At 1) are shown the opposing end of two adjacent coils, there being a narrow space left between them to allow of amoderate longitudinal motion or travel for each.

The floats do not touch the wires (1 of the coils,excepting at the parts 0, as above stated, the inner edges of said floats being cut away toward their respective ends to admit of free motions of the wires thereunder. This leaves the independent rings or turns of the wire under the floats free to be moved through short distances along the tubes from the moving water impinging directly against them, and admits also of a more extended motion of the parts 0 in their movements toward and from each other, as above stated.

In Fig. 3 is shown a plain horizontal boiler, O, the shell being largely broken away to show some of the flues therein covered with the abradants described, the floats being omitted. An incidental advantage attending the use of these abradants is that they act to increase the heating-surface of the boiler.

to move upward along the fines on account of their spiral form, they acting similar to a screw-nut upon a threaded rod. This tendency to climb the flues against the action of gravity prevents them becoming collected at the bottom or lower parts of the flues. These coils are put in place upon the flues by being passed over the latter as said dues are carried into the shell of the boiler through one of the tube-sheets in the course of construction.

\Vhat I'claim as my invention is 1. An abrading device for a boiler tube,consisting of a spiral coil placed upon said tube, said coil having outwardly-projecting parts a, secured to parts 0 thereof,said projecting parts being formed to clear the other members or parts of the coil on either side of said parts or members 0, substantially as shown and described.

2. An abrading device for a steam-boiler tube, consisting of a spiral coil placed upon said tube, said coil being provided with outwardly-projecting parts to be acted upon by the water,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

An abrading device for a steam-boiler tube, consisting of a spiral coil placed upon said tube, said coil being alternately closely and openly wound, as shown, with projecting parts or floats secured to said closely-wound parts, substantially as shown.

4. An abrading device for a boiler-tube,consisting of a spiral coil or series of rings placed upon said tube, said coils or rings being provided with outwardly-projecting parts to be acted upon by the Water, said projecting parts being placed in inclined positions with reference to the axis of said coil or ring, substantially as shown.

5. An abrading device for a boiler-tube,consisting of a spiral coil placed upon said tube, said coil being alternately closely and openly Wound, as shown, with projecting parts or floats secured to said closely-wound parts of the coil, said floats secured to adjacent parts of the coil being contrarily inclined, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ALBERT FIOKETT.

Witnesses E. B. WHITMORE, M. L. MoDERMoTT. 

